Francis "Labe" Laban Walton

Labe was born and raised on his family’s cotton farm in Snyder, Texas, the youngest of 14 children (7 boys and 7 girls). When he was 14 and in high school, his father and mother decided to retire from farming and they moved to Mason, Texas.

After graduation from high school, he attended several semesters of different colleges in Texas. Although he had the most beautiful tenor singing voice, joining every choir and singing club during his short time in college, he ultimately decided as a young 20-year-old that he was more passionate about aviation than continuing school in Texas. He was accepted into the Air Force, entering basic training in Texas. Once finished he was stationed in Portland, Oregon.

While acclimating to his new life in the Air Force in Portland (and his new nickname Labe given by his Air Force buddies) he looked for a way to continue his love of music and found a local church to join the choir. This is where he met his wife, Mary Ann, who was also in the church choir, and they married in 1958. He left the Air Force and entered the Air National Guard as a Radar Operator as well as enrolling in the University of Oregon. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education. He was so proud of his school, and he became an avid Oregon Ducks fan for the rest of his life.

The Air Force National Guard ultimately awarded Labe with a hard-earned pilot flight slot, and he entered training in Missouri and Texas. Upon completion he was assigned a flying slot flying the F-89 Scorpion in Portland. While flying for the National Guard part time, Labe was hired as a full-time pilot with United Airlines, based in San Francisco. He, Mary Ann and the 3 young children moved to Saratoga, California to be close to his base. Labe also transferred to a National Guard slot flying the C-141 Starlifter at Travis Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. He ultimately enjoyed a 25-year career in the military and a 27-year career with United Airlines.

Upon retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Air National Guard in 1977 and then as a Captain for United in 1992, Labe and Mary Ann relocated back to Portland (and winters in Arizona for 20 years) where they enjoyed travelling, playing bridge, singing, spending time with family and of course for anyone who knew Labe well, there were many puzzles completed, books read, Jeopardy watched and Oregon football tuned in.

Labe is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; daughter, Jocelyn (Michael); son, Philip (Carmen); and grandsons, Michael Shea (Chelsea), Christian, and AJ (Mary).